


Parents

by noxiousSanctity



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Aegus you sly bastard, And Lady and Aegus have had the talk, Background story, Dante becomes self aware, F/F, M/M, Sleepy Tiresias, This is somewhere after photograph, now its dante's turn, so presh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 09:43:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4914688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noxiousSanctity/pseuds/noxiousSanctity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aegus misunderstands a lot, and Dante becomes self aware</p>
            </blockquote>





	Parents

Aegus’s face when he first saw Tiresias was a look of shock and wonder, wrapped up in a little tiny bow. He looked back at Nero, and when he nodded, looked back down at the little child softly, tenderly. Dante was watching from the desk, feet kicked up on the sturdy furniture as Nero’s father gently touched Tiresias’ hand and shook it, murmuring soft sounds of greetings. When he discovered that this little child was blind and mute, his smile did not fade and instead he simply asked yes or no questions, watching the child’s head bob up and down or shake violently. Trish’s gun was still out, but Aegus did nothing to defend himself, simply enchanted by the little child in front of him. “I never thought I’d be a grandfather.” He murmured softly, and Tiresias made his little hiccup of laughter, face bright with happiness. Nero scratched his nose and looked over to Dante, who was eating pizza with his carefree attitude per usual. He looked back down at his dad and… their son? His son? Dante seemed not to want anything to do with him much, cautiously avoiding the kid nowadays, and it seemed like he wanted to just disappear into the floorboards when Tiresias noticed him. Nero, being himself, just grit his teeth and carried on.

This was a whole new world for the both of them. Neither of them asked for this, but this is what they got.

The subject of such conflict was starting to get tired, and Aegus gently picked him up, cradling him gently. “Where does he sleep?” He asked, eyes still on his grandson, and Nero coughed. “And where is his mother?”

A dead silence went through the shop, Dante pointedly not looking over to where Nero was sweating about how he would _possibly_ tell his dad that he’s _gay_ and that oh god he had a test tube baby with another _guy._ He looked down at Tiresias, not saying anything, and Aegus looked confused as he rocked the baby. “Nero? What’s wrong?”

“I’m the mother.” Trish stepped forward, and Nero could hear Dante choke on his slice of pizza, spitting it back into the box. If he could take a picture of that moment, he would. The dumbfounded face of Dante, Son of Sparda was so comical he was pretty sure he could sell that shit for good money. Even Lady seemed shocked, her mouth opening just a tiny bit before closing it right away and backing her words up. “Yeah… Uh… It’s complicated. They agreed that we’d raise the baby together, as a group. So he wouldn’t be, you know, lonely.” That was half of the truth, and that would have to do.

Aegus’ shoulders relaxed and he gently handed Tiresias over to Trish, who held him carefully. “Well, I’m glad to see that he’s going to have a magnificent family.” He looked over at Nero and asked softly, “If I am allowed a request, may I be able to come by and see my grandson?”

Stupefied, Nero nodded a little bit, head bobbing slightly before Aegus nodded back and gave him a careful hug. Not one a father would give his son normally, but since they were just getting back on good terms, they were both walking on glass. Soon the tension relaxed, and Tiresias was taken to bed.

Nobody noticed Dante watching Aegus out of the corner of his eye.

* * *

            It was a couple weeks later, Aegus and Nero and Trish having set up a time schedule for Aegus to come visit his son and Tiresias, making both parties happy. Lady and Nero were out on a job somewhere in an old jungle somewhere, and Lady was out getting happy drunk at the bar and pickpocketing everyone she could. So that left Dante coming back home late at night with the stench of demons wafting off of him and a huge urge to take a shower. He stepped inside and saw Tiresias sleeping in Aegus’ lap while the older man was reading, blonde hair being brushed out of his face rhythmically. Dante let the door slam shut harder than normal, and Aegus looked up, smiling at Dante. “Hello, welcome home. I was just waiting until you or someone got home. Tiresias wanted to wait up for his parents, but Nero and Trish are out doing some things or others, so here I am.”

            Dante twitched at the words, _‘His parents’_ and grunted. “I’m gonna go take a shower. You can go home now, Aegus. Thanks.” And with that, he practically dissipated upstairs to get all the grime and tiredness caked on him off of his skin and into the drain, so at least he _felt_ clean.

            He took his damn sweet time, too. He didn’t want to come back downstairs to see anything but _his_ kid laying on the couch, asleep. _His_ and _Nero’s_ kid. Even Trish had warmed up to him, and she’s the one that fucking shot him. Lady said they had a talk, but Dante had no idea what about. It frustrated him to no end and he was so distracted and aggravated that he got soap in his eyes and accidentally scrubbed his hair so hard it actually began to bleed.

* * *

            He’s still there. Aegus is still on his couch. Reading.

            Tiresias had been moved to rest on his leg, but the fact of the matter was that no, he hadn’t left. Dante spent about an hour in that stupid shower, and he’s still there?

            The man in question looked up, perking when he saw a shaved and pajama bottomed Dante standing on the steps. “Ah. There you are.”

            The Demon slayer looked to the side and shrugged. “Here I am? Anything I can do for ya, pops?”

            The man laughed and closed the book, gently standing up. Tiresias shifted a little bit and the grandfather moved a pillow to where he was sitting, the child curling around it almost immediately. “Actually, yes. I’d like to talk to you about my son.” There didn’t seem to be any threatening sound behind his words, but Dante didn’t take chances. “I just want to know what part you play in all this, and his life.”

            Seeing literally no way out of this besides jumping through a window and leaving, he took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, sure.” He carefully walked over, making sure the floorboards didn’t creak and pulled up a chair, plopping it in front of him and sitting down. “What do you want to know? His sign, his favourite foods, our first meeting? What?”

            Aegus laughed softly, and Dante let a small smirk tug at his lips. “Not so much the first two, but yes, your first meeting. How did you meet my son? How did you become friends? Where was he at the time?”

            Dante raised his hands palm up towards the inquisitive demon. “Whoa, whoa, hold on. It’s a long story, but I’ll start from the beginning. You’re gonna need all night.”

            Aegus stretched back and sat down on the empty part of the couch. “I do. Now, let’s begin.”

            Dante couldn’t stop a grin when he began. “Well, the first time I met him, I killed the Pope of his old town and he kicked me right into a demon statue of my father.”

            “What?”

-

            Dante leaned back in his chair, yawning. “And then we parted ways. Him with Kyrie, and I with the satisfaction of a job well done.”

            Aegus laughed softly, eyes crinkling. “I’d forgotten that you are indeed the son of Sparda. It sounds tough.”

            Dante blinked a little bit, surprised at the comment. “That’s not what people usually say.”

            The demon raised an eyebrow. “Then what do people normally say when they hear that?”

            The hunter sighed and leaned back even more, balancing on one leg. “Oh, you know, the usual stuff. Like, ‘son of Sparda? I shall avenge my brethren!’ or ‘Dante, Son of the Dark Knight Sparda! You are the son of a god!’ and all that junk. Most people don’t realize how difficult it’s been. Usually just my brother, as you know is dead. So it’s just me.”

            Aegus nodded, and stroked his chin for a thoughtful moment before speaking. “So… If you two parted ways, why is he here now?”

            Dante rolled his eyes and let the seat fall back to the ground gently. “Jeez, you really wanna know everything, huh?”

            “Without a doubt.”

            And with another sigh, Dante began. “This was about a month after we left.” His face had dropped slightly, and Aegus noticed this before Dante could change his look to neutral again. “He had come to my shop, soaked to the bone and looking ready to murder.”

* * *

 

_“Kid, nice to see you- Whoa, holy shit, why are you so pissed? And is that a new outfit?”_

_Nero shot a bullet into Dante’s arm, making the older man hiss in pain. “Don’t talk to me right now, Dante.” Indeed, instead of his red and blues, He bore dark purple on both his jacket and shirt, and his jeans were now a dull grey, gun resting in its holster on a toned thigh. A scarf was hung loosely around his neck, and Nero sounded like he’d been running. “I don’t want to hear any comic retorts.”_

_“Then why did you come here, kid?” Dante made a confused gesture with his hands, fingers curled and palms faced up with shoulders shrugged. “Literally I’m made up of bad puns and shitty but magnificent one liners. It’s in my DNA. You should have seen my parents.” When Nero didn’t seem to listen, Dante furrowed his brow. “Seriously, kid. What brings you here?”_

_The younger Demon deflated suddenly, shoulders slumped and Dante finally saw him looking his age. Nero seemed ruffled and emotionally unstable, like a bird that fell out of a nest without a map or the ability to read. “I-“He coughed, looking away. “I had to leave town.”_

_Well, this was certainly news. “What? I thought they were on your side now, Nero. Didn’t you and Kyrie get together? You saved those people.” Sure, the humans who lived here weren’t exactly grateful about the work Dante did, but he still got paid, and that was good enough thanks for him. But Fortuna?_

_“We did. For a little bit.” Nero sounded bitter and Dante sat on the edge of his desk, watching the teen carefully. “But… Instead of being better, people starting hating demons. I mean… Really hating them. It was the exact opposite of how it used to be. Kyrie got targeted, and she said I needed to go find you, so that she could try and calm things down.” His hand was clenched tight, Devil bringer glowing hotly in rage. “So now I’m here. Everything’s gone to shit and this is the last place that I could run to.” Nero’s eyes were sharp and the elder was taken aback. “Even now, even after all this, they can’t accept me. I’m still the fucking mistake in that goddamned down and I’m so fucking tired of being hated.”_

_Dante felt something soften in his chest and he smiled, walking over to Nero and hugging the suddenly squawking kid. “I’m not gonna lie, Nero. It’s not much better here, but I’ve got a spare room upstairs across from mine. Take as much time as you need.” His voice had taken on a tinge of seriousness for once, and Nero looked like a befuddled barn owl when Dante released him from the embrace. “I’ve not been in a position like that, but I know what it means to be hated.” He grinned and Nero scratched his nose, ears turning pink. “Now go on upstairs and take a shower. Demon or not, clothes smell when they’re wet for too long. I’ll run them in the washer and hang em’ out to dry. Only this once, though. This ain’t a hotel.”_

_Stupefied Nero was possibly one of his favourite faces, and he huffed a small laugh as the other managed his way upstairs. “Second door on the right, okay?” He received a huff of acknowledgment and Dante nodded, perking an eyebrow at the floor and mumbling, “What am I doing?” before going upstairs to his own room, knocking out on his bed and sleeping peacefully that whole night._

* * *

           “Aaaaaand naturally I forgot his clothes, and they almost got moldy but we cleaned them in time. It’s still in his closet now, though he hardly wears it.”

            Aegus was resting his head on his hands, supported by his elbows on his knees. “Fascinating. He never went back?”

            Dante shook his head. “Nope. It was too dangerous, he said. Kyrie sent him letters and often said that it was only getting worse. She also said that he was happier here, just by the way he was writing, though I read that part over his shoulder.”

            He received an eye squint for the last comment, but said nothing about it. “I have one last request for information, Dante.”

            The hunter shrugged and yawned. “Whazzit?”

            Aegus’ eyes were sharp as he softly mumbled, “How long have Trish and Nero been together?”

            The air from Dante’s yawn got stuck in his throat and his eyes widened before reverting back to his cool façade. “I-Uh… Should you really be asking me that? Maybe you should ask Trish or Nero or something?”

            “I’m asking you because you’ve been straightforward so far, and I would appreciate it if you keep doing so.” Aegus’ stare was unnerving, even to Dante, and the son of Sparda swallowed nervously.

            “Uh…” Shit, he couldn’t think of anything.

            “Take your time, Dante. I want to know that Tiresias’ parents take care of him.”

            Dante felt his entire being twitch at those two words. _Tiresias’ parents._ “Oh, well they do a good job, his parents. Real good parents, you know?” He felt himself rambling, trying to shut down what had a good chance for coming out of his mouth. “Real happy family, real good for the heart and soul, you know? Like one of those cheesy films.”

            “I’m not asking about that, Dante. I meant their relationship. Do they expect more children?”

            Dante clenched his jaw. “I don’t think so, no. They’re not quite together anymore.” What this guy’s problem was, Dante didn’t have a clue. “They’ve got different respective partners now.”

            Aegus blinked in surprise. “Partners? Like the same sex?”

            Dante nodded. “Yeah. For Trish, at least. She and Lady are together now, but I’m not sure about Nero.” A lie.

            The elder raised an eyebrow. “Nero is not seeing anybody at all right now?”

            “Nope.” Another lie.

            “Are you sure?”

            “Yeah.” Another.

            There was a long pause before Aegus stood up. “I see. Then I shall see if I can help him find a woman of good standing, so he may fall in love and have a good life.”

            “Oh, I’m pretty sure he’s fine right now.”

            “Trish tells me he’s lonely quite a bit of the time, but she doesn’t know how to console him.” Dammit, Trish.

            “Well, he’s fine right now.” His teeth were grinding against each other, and Aegus said another thing that made his eye twitch.

            “He’s going to need a mother.”

            He found himself standing up before he realized it. “Nah, I don’t think he’s gonna need a mom. He’s already got two surrogate mothers. Trish and Lady.”

            “I mean another parent.”

            Dante huffed and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. He was tired, and not really in the mood to lie about shit. So like a loose cannon, he went off. “Well fine, he already has another parent because that’s _my_ kid too. Not Trish’s, _MINE_. Nero’s and my kid. He’s ours. Biologically.”

            Aegus stopped and stared at Dante, who was on a roll. “Our DNA was combined to make this kid. He’s ours. He is _my_ son. He is _Nero’s_ son. But he has four adoptive parents, so what’s the big deal, huh?” His hands were flailing about. “Why can’t we just all be chill with the fact that the test tube baby belongs to both of us and Lady and Trish are the moms of the household because I don’t know how to take care of a kid or do anything other than get paint on the walls and make finger-paintings. I don’t know how to make a good family. I don’t know how to be a good dad.” He almost wished he swallowed his tongue at the look of disbelief on Aegus’ face, eyes wide and mouth opened slightly as if he were about to laugh.

            Then suddenly, the grandfather began to laugh. It started as a muffled chuckle into his hand before he coughed into his fist. Dante couldn’t believe his eyes as Aegus laughed softly into the palm of his hand before standing up straight. “Forgive me, forgive me. It seems that you do not think you know how to make my son happy, but instead you already do, you just do not realize it.” At the continued stare from the hunter, Aegus clarified. “Ask him out already, you imbecile. Honestly, it’s like _you two_ are the ones blind instead of your child.” Aegus continued to talk while Dante was trying to understand what just happened. “You do rant quite a bit, Dante, but eventually I got you to crack and say what you really wanted to say. It took a while, and I was quite impressed. But hopefully you’ve, as Lady has put it, ‘gotten your head out of your ass’ and learned of your affection for my son.”

            Speechless, Dante could only watch as Aegus donned his coat and gently pecked Tiresias on the forehead before heading to the door. “And Dante,” he called. “I haven't told my son I know of his preferences, so please do not tell him I know. I want him to tell me when he's ready.” was his last comment before gently clicking the door shut. The hunter stood there for a solid five minutes before mechanically picking Tir up and carrying him to bed, laying down sleepless even longer before mumbling,

            “Did I just get played?”

* * *

            Aegus’ happy hum could be heard all the way down the street that night.

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE COMMENT AND KUDOS PLEASE


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